* [[Shuhe]] old town, better than Lijiang if you want a place less commercialized; a horse ride in the town is an attraction. Easy bus and mini bus service to the town from Lijiang: bus 5 from old town 1y/~30min (arrive south/oldest part/most homestay, north/old town Lijiang like and hotel/restaurants; homestays price ~100y for s/d but can bargain), maybe bus 11 from bus station; horse ride ~100-200y; monastery & lake to see around but a bit far for just a walk.

* [[Shuhe]] old town, better than Lijiang if you want a place less commercialized; a horse ride in the town is an attraction. Easy bus and mini bus service to the town from Lijiang: bus 5 from old town 1y/~30min (arrive south/oldest part/most homestay, north/old town Lijiang like and hotel/restaurants; homestays price ~100y for s/d but can bargain), maybe bus 11 from bus station; horse ride ~100-200y; monastery & lake to see around but a bit far for just a walk.

* [[Shangrila]], it is RMB 60 from Lijiang to Shangrila by express bus. about 4h trip, bus every hour.

* [[Shangrila]], it is RMB 60 from Lijiang to Shangrila by express bus. about 4h trip, bus every hour.

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* [[Dali]], direct bus to Xiaguan, Dali new town. You need to take another bus to Dali ancient city. There is also direct bus from Lijiang to Dali ancient city, ask the hotel or tour agent to book the ticket.

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* [[Dali]], direct bus to Xiaguan, Dali new town. You need to take another bus to Dali ancient city. There is also direct bus from Lijiang to Dali ancient city, ask the hotel or tour agent to book the ticket. All of the Lijiang buses pass the Dali old town on the way to Xiaguan. Just tell the driver to drop you off in Dali.

* Shaxi ancient town, between Dali and Lijiang. There is no transport direct to Shaxi, you need to arrive at Jiangchuan first. But it will be easier from Dali(Xiaguan). An express bus operate from Dali(Xiaguan) to Jiangchuan, and Lijiang to Jiangchuan, you need to know the schedule. A mini bus will also take you from Lijiang to a border of Jiangchuan and Lijiang, where you need to take a minibus to Jiangchuan city, and continue with another minivan to Shaxi old town. If you missed the express bus, the mini bus will be an alternative, it is faster. Unexploited ancient town unlike Lijiang, less travel by tourists, but is now attracting backpackers.

* Shaxi ancient town, between Dali and Lijiang. There is no transport direct to Shaxi, you need to arrive at Jiangchuan first. But it will be easier from Dali(Xiaguan). An express bus operate from Dali(Xiaguan) to Jiangchuan, and Lijiang to Jiangchuan, you need to know the schedule. A mini bus will also take you from Lijiang to a border of Jiangchuan and Lijiang, where you need to take a minibus to Jiangchuan city, and continue with another minivan to Shaxi old town. If you missed the express bus, the mini bus will be an alternative, it is faster. Unexploited ancient town unlike Lijiang, less travel by tourists, but is now attracting backpackers.

* Lagu Lake, north of Lijiang near Shechuan border. Direct bus from Lijiang, the road is very rough and currently under construction. It will take more than 7 hours of rough ride for a normally 4 hours travel. An airport is presently under construction. Avoid it until May 2010 if you are not able to travel under rough condition.

* Lagu Lake, north of Lijiang near Shechuan border. Direct bus from Lijiang, the road is very rough and currently under construction. It will take more than 7 hours of rough ride for a normally 4 hours travel. An airport is presently under construction. Avoid it until May 2010 if you are not able to travel under rough condition.

Contents

Understand

The city has an 800 year history from as early as the late Song Dynasty. It is built where the Jade River divides into three and its streams form the canals and waterways which flow along the old town streets. Lijiang was first known by westerns through a book written by an American commissioner who traveled in and out of Yunnan province in late 19th century. Shangrila was also mentioned in that book and became famous. After China's reform in early 80's of the last century, many foreigners were allowed to penetrate deeper in China. Some followed the path of the commissioner and eventually found this quiet then and pretty place. Many of them stayed and relaxed. To fulfill their needs, some started restaurants and bars. At this time, Lijiang was still unknown to most of Chinese people. It was the earth quake in 90's that brought Lijiang to the world. Chinese people also long for the lifestyle and the excellent environment in Lijiang and started pour in. This started the new era of Lijiang.

Get in

By plane

There are many flights to Lijiang, mainly from Kunming, Chengdu and Chongqing, but also flights from Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou (which may or may not stop enroute at Kunming airport).
The Kunming-Lijiang route has flights from early morning to late at night, at around US100 one way + 100 yuan tax. The flight is only 50 minutes. But the day or night train between Lijiang and Kunming is the cheapest and most environmentally-friendly way to arrive or depart Lijiang.
The Lijiang airport will have international flights from mid-2011.
The airport is 35 minutes from the city. You can take a taxi - 80-100 yuan - or outside the arrivals hall you will find the airport bus, which leaves regularly when full, for 15yuan,to the Blue Skies Hotel near the Guangfung hotel and 1km from the old town. A taxi to the old town will be 7-10yuan from the Blue Skies carpark. Buses to the airport leave about 100 minutes before flights, giving you enough time to check-in one hour before your flight.

By train

Rail service from Kunming to Lijiang and Dali is available. A hard sleeper berth from Kunming to Lijiang costs ¥130 and runs from 10PM to 7AM. The soft sleeper car would cost you about ¥205 on the same train. If you travel by a small family, parents and a kid, consider the VIP chamber which is at the price of ¥614, one less than purchasing three individual tickets in a four bed standard room. You may feel a bit tight for luggage storage space, but you gain more valuable privacy, with your own family. From Dali the train is a faster, cheaper alternative to the crowded buses: Hard (padded) seat is about 31Y, and the journey takes only 2 hours from Dali city. Lijiang's East train station is in Jinsha Town, Gucheng District. It is still a temporary facility with no separate waiting area for soft sleeper ticket holders, which kind of crowded. You can take Bus #13 from the train station to downtown Lijiang.

By bus

The bus station is located south of the old city. Regular services to/from Shangrila and overnight service from Kunming stop here. You can take the bus 8 in front of the bus station to the old town or take a taxi.
From dali, minibus/bus at 55/60y about every 30/60min, ~4h (highway in construction, oct 2011).

Get around

Walking is the only option in the old town, while taxis are often the easiest way around the rest of town for ¥7 (June 2008). Make sure you have the exact location info or address for the cab driver. Some of them do not know whole lot more than you do.

Fracture alert: watch where you are walking. It is easy to trip on the cobblestones or fall into the canals from the walkways or bridges, many of which do not have handrails. The cobblestones can be very slippery when wet.

To see the sights outside the old town, the options are walking, biking, public bus, private mini-bus, or taxi. The public bus mainly stays within the city and stops 8PM-PM. The mini-buses are the same price as the public bus within the city. They will have the number of the bus on the front windshield. The price of a mini-bus to a nearby village is 2-5 RMB, but the starting location within the city is different for most villages. If you do not know where you want to go and are limited on time, the best option is to rent a taxi or mini-bus for the day, but the price can vary wildly from about 100 RMB all the way up to 300 RMB. The price mainly depends on whether you can speak Chinese or not, and how comfortable you are looked when you try to bargain the deal.

See

Old Town. Walk around, watch people, shop, drink and eat. There is bonfire at around 7PM at the Si Fang Jie, the central plaza. Many local folks dance there, apparently entertain themselves. Tourists are welcomed to join.

Mu Palace (木府; Mùfǔ). The palace where the Mu Clan of the Naxi people ruled for over 400 years. It is a large complex that extends part way up the hill behind it. There used to be a lot of high quality paitings in the palace and finely carved wooden doors, but most were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. At the top is a Daoist temple, with a few Daoists ready to give fortunes to visitors for a donation. A taste of Mulaoye Wine (木老爷酒; Mùlǎoyejiǔ), a kind of local alcohol, is available for ¥5 (in a shot glass), and there is also a free tea tasting area. Allow at least 2 hours to walk explore this expansive complex and do wander off into the side courtyards as it will take you back to the main courtyards. If you are visiting Wangulou, exit the Lion Hill Park from the south exit which leads you right into the back entrance of Mu Palace.Entry fee is ¥60 (Oct 2011), and the non-posted student price is ¥20.

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (玉龙雪山; Yùlóngxuě Shān), (25km from Lijiang. Mules can be rented from the nearby Baisha Village or you can take a cable car to the top. Prices vary for the mules depending on what elevation you want to go to. ¥180 to ride to 3800 meters plus ¥5 for insurance. ¥300 to 4200 meters. ¥350 to 4600 meters. If you pay for the lowest elevation you might be able to bargain with the handlers when you reach the end and continue to the higher elevations for a lower price. Passengers over 100 kg might have to pay a surcharge. Tickets for the cable car cost ¥170 round-trip). A mountain massif (also identified as a small mountain range) visible from Lijiang and capped all year round. Its highest peak is Shanzidou (扇子陡; Shānzidǒu) at 5,596m. The view of the massif from the gardens at the Black Dragon Pool in Lijiang is noted as one of China's finest views. The far side of the mountain forms one side of Tiger Leaping Gorge (虎跳峡; Hǔtiàoxiá). You might be asked to purchase tickets for electrical car, which they call it as "Little Green frog". It's not worth it. You would miss the 20 minute walk on a wood trail which was very enjoyable. Also, renting a coat is not necessary during the late spring and summer season. You would find it a big burden later. On you way to Yu Long Snow Mountain, you may stop by at the Dong Ba Valley culture center. Though sounds copied from US, Lijiang did good job to present this traditional village to all visitors. They moved some families from other places to this village and let them live their normal lives. I have seen the husband in a family counting changes while the wife was comforting the baby. In another house, two youth siblings were baking their cookies and selling to visitors. This is way more alive. (I have visited the Indian center in Cherokee, North Carolina back in 1998. Villagers there behaved like they were working for boring jobs). There are live singing and instrument performing at different corners. You would see some singers are actually pretty and sin well.Entrance to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain ¥190, which only seems to be collected when entering from the Lijiang end.

Black Dragon Pool (黑龙潭; Hēilóngtán), ""Price="Free, (About 1 km from Square Street). 8AM-9PM. Quite large place with some nice natural scenery together with traditional building styles. Don't forget to take pictures on the center bridge where the Yu Long Xue Shan (The Jade Dragon Snow Mountain) can be a perfect background. Popular with locals, whom you can find dancing or playing games such as mahjongg or Chinese chess. You can also hike up Elephant Hill if you're feeling energetic. Walk north along the canals from the waterwheels just to the north of the old town. It is about 10 minutes walk up-river, and if you cross over to the left side (western pathway) you will pass the "Through the Window Cafe".. a cool place run by an affable New Zealander that serves great coffee and western food. Ask him nicely and he may even show you where is the free entrance, if you don't already have the Old Town Preservation receipt which costs ¥80.

The Baisha Naxi Embroidery Institute, (12 kms north of Lijiang), ☎13095230290. The Baisha Naxi Embroidery Institute. It is in the Baisha Village 12kms away from Lijiang City. It is a typical Naxi courtyard with a very nice surroundings. The mission of the institute is to save, protect, inherit and promote the Naxi traditional hand-made embroidery. It occupies 800 square meters, there are many embroidery masters and students, also many hand-made embroideries there. You can try how to do hand-made embroidery there if you have time. Also you can buy some very nice embroideries there if you like.

Do

Naxi Concert Hall. 8PM-10PM. Enjoy the traditional Naxi music Culture Show performed by the Naxi Orchestra, which includes some 70-90 year old men. The music itself is a combination of traditional Chinese music dating back to the Tang dynasty and local instruments and flavours. The music is well performed, however be prepared for long explanations of its musical history in Mandarin between each piece and the sometimes self-serving comments of Xuan Ke the Director. While the Naxi Ancient Music group of Lijiang is famous and well promoted, there are other excellent classical Chinese music groups playing in Lijiang's parks (for ¥10) or at weddings or house-warmings all over Yunnan. ¥ 120-160.

Float styrofoam boats. Along the main streams are girls selling candles that float on delicate flower-shaped styrofoam boats. Tourists can purchase one, make a wish, and send their candle down the waterways. Late in the evening after groups have had significant amounts of alcohol you can see many floating candles sailing down the waterways. If you are environmentally conscious and have reservations about sending styrofoam downstream do not worry. There is a net, far down the waterway, that catches the boats. The girls just go down, pick the boats up, and re-sell them the next night.¥10 (September 2010).

Biking. Rent a bike downtown, eg at Ali Baba's near Mao Zedong's statue, and see the sights. Ali Baba's will give you a handmade map of smaller surrounding towns that capture the quaint styles of Lijiang without the heavy tourism and the tacky souvenir shops. There are at least three towns, ranging from converted hippy communes to remote farming villages. There is a beautiful remote Buddhist monastery at Puji Mountain which is worth the 30 minute hike. There is also a Tibetan village labeled on the map but is hard to find, so ask Ali Baba for directions. Most of the terrain around Lijiang is level and the roads have only light traffic. These small, non-touristy towns and other sightseeing destinations can be reached within a 20 minute ride.About ¥15 per day including a bottle of water and a lock.

Walk the canal path. To get to the Black Dragon Pool you can walk the canal path north near the main water wheel. It will take you to the south entrance of the park. The north part of the park is free and you can get there by walking around the south entrance and keep heading north. You should reach a street with the main entrance to the park. Keep going north and you will see a small bridge that leads to a large white building. The white building is the Dongba Museum, everything north of that is free. If the guards bother you at the gate, just walk back to the street and keep walking north and there will be another path to get in to the free part with no gates or guards to bother you. Further north of the park is a local college, and northwest of that is a small reservoir. The reservoir is a good place to take photos of the snow mountain when it is visible. On hot sunny days in the summer there will be lots of locals swimming there in the afternoon. At the local college you can find students to help you. The English building is the large pink one just right after you enter the south entrance. There is a student run café that is open in the evening from 6:30PM-10PM in the "butterfly" building, which is opposite of the English building. As of 2007 the school has an English corner every Thursday after lunch (~1PM), and after dinner at ~5:40PM. The English corner is so-so, but it is a great chance to ask students about where to go, and cheap transportation. Many of them are from other places in Yunnan.

Visit Naxi villages. If you would like to visit some of the Naxi villages in the hills surrounding Lijiang, you can rent a small van to take you around for ¥100-300, depending on the driver and how much Chinese you speak. There are regular minivans on Shangrila Road, the main road on the west side of town, which take locals to and from the villages. Sometimes it can be difficult to find a mini-van to go back to Lijiang after 5PM if you do not make arrangements with the driver who took you there. The regular one way mini-van fee is ¥2 to Shuhe, and ¥3-5 for villages farther north (2007). It is highly recommended to ask a student at the local college on where to find the mini-buses and the prices of the village you want to go. Many drivers will try to rip you off if you do not speak Chinese, and the buses are not always easy to find as they look the same as the private "3-8" buses that travel inside the city.

Impression Lijiang. A cultural show demonstrating the traditions and lifestyles of the Naxi, Yi and Bai peoples of the area. The show takes place inside Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Park at 3500m in an outdoor theater specifically designed to showcase the mountain which is used as a backdrop. The production itself was designed by Zhang Yimou (director of Hero, House of Flying Daggers), Fan Yue and Wang Chaoge, a cast of over 500 people, and a number of horses. However, the show does not have a plot. Tickets cost 190 yuan and can be bought from the ticket booth in the Old Town (make a right at the water wheels and walk down the main street, the booth will be on your left). The ticket price does not include transportation to and from the theater (approx 1 hour drive) or the entrance fee for the park (80 yuan). There is also an Old Town Preservation fee that the park tries to charge as well, however, this can be avoided by claiming to have already paid at you hotel (and showing your hotel key). Bus 7 will take you to the theater for ¥10 and can be caught across from the Mao Zedong statue, but be sure to find out what time the last bus leaves the park.

Dry Sea Meadow (Ganhaizi). The closest chair lift up the mountain to Lijiang. It transports visitors to a large meadow located at 3050 meters.¥160 return.

Cloud Fir Meadow (Yunshanping). From the reception centre which is located adjacent to Impression Lijiang on the Lijiang-Daju road a fleet of buses transports visitors to a cable car. Both bus transfer and cable car costs a total of ¥110 for a return trip. From the upper terminus of the cable car a vehicel takes you to the Cloud Fir Meadow for ¥50. The view is not very spectacular which makes this trip highly overprized.

Yak Meadow (Máoniúpíng). The furtherest from Lijiang at a distance of 60km, this cable car, costs ¥60 for a round-trip. At an elevation of 3,500 metres and the least-visited of the three chair lifts this area offers grazing yaks, a Tibetan temple and a number of hiking possibilities. On the way to the chairlift’s lower terminus the road drips down and crosses a river. A number of yaks are located here where for a fee you can sit on one. Their owners seem to have no objection to visitors taking photos for no fee of the yaks standing in the river with awesome Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in the background. You can also access Yak Meadow by hopping aboard bus 7 across from the Mao Zedong statue which will take you to the Impression Lijiang Theater for ¥10. At the theater there is a ticket booth to the left of the show entrance which sells tickets to both Spruce Meadow and Yak Meadow (¥80) and provides a tour bus to and from the cable cars and a cable car ticket. Be sure to find out what time the last bus passes the Impression Lijiang theater or you may find yourself calling a taxi which could be expensive. Also see "Impression Lijiang" info for entrance fees to the park itself.

Baisha Village (白沙村), (bus 6 (1y / ~30min; one problem, it's seem it's a recent service at oct 2011 and it is not labelled on all/some bus stop, one is near north entrance of black dragon pool)). A small village in Yulong Naxi Autonomous County, part of Lijiang city, well-known for its Jade Dragon Snow Mountain range. It is the original settlement of the Naxi people who came to the greater Lijiang Valley over a thousand years ago. Made up of at least 12 smaller villages, the main village is Sanyuan (三元村), which has one main stone street called of course, Baisha Street. It has a typical Chinese "old-town" tourist setup, consisting of a stone paved street with a mixture of Chinese trinket sellers-shops and several quaint cafés to stop at relax, have a drink some Yunnan coffee eat a Naxi Pie and avoid the crowded Lijiang. A great escape from Lijiang Old-town tourist trap, only 12 km north of town, you can rent a bike and get there in about 40 minutes. You should consider staying a few nights, in a Naxi family’s courtyard, no "hotel-Hostels" here. Even though almost everything costs you a ticket price to do in China these days you can do many things here for free! Like hike the local mountains through the high alpine botanical garden and search for herbs on your way to the Jade Dragon Lake, the backside of Snow Jade Dragon Mountain. Visit some of the temples or traditional Naxi houses of the area before they are gone.

Local Hospitality
In Biasha village, there is an old woman named Liu who will sometimes stop tourists and invite them into her home. She is a very nice lady, who will show you pictures of people who have visited her home as well as messages that people have left in her guestbook. She will feed you snacks and tea and make you feel welcome. Before letting you leave, she will ask for a small 'donation' (around ¥10 per person).

Go hiking to local Naxi villages, Old Town Lijiang (Start in old town), ☎13769001439, [1]. Get out of Lijiang and discover the real place, by hiking in the Lijiang valley or in the hills to temples, lakes, villages and scenic lookouts. Agencies like Lijiang Guides can arrange trips to remote villages, as well as Tiger Leaping Gorge, Lugu Lake and Baoshan stone village.

The Baisha Naxi Emboidery Institute, Baisha village (12 kms north of Lijiang), ☎13095230065. The Baisha Naxi Embroidery Institute. The mission of this institute is to protect, save, inherit. develop and promote the Naxi traditional hand-made embroidery.This institute is located in the Baisha Village, 12 kms away from the Lijiang city.There are many local embroiderers and many nice hand-made embroideries there.It is a typical Naxi style courtyard witht a very nice surroundings .It is a very beautiful place,you have to go there.

Buy

Loads of tourist shops available in old town. Probably overpriced, but Lijiang does not have as many cases of the Westerner price being too much higher than the Chinese price as in many other parts of China.

Burned wood carvings - One of the popular local specialties. Quality varies greatly by the individual artist, and prices vary by shops. Some shops do custom etchings of your face (near photo-realism) with Lijiang in the background. Expect to have your picture taken, then come back in a few hours.

Yak horn combs - Also popular, with some combs also carved from the yak hoof (the ones with the rougher edge on the handle).

Naxi clothing - For ¥5 you can get your picture taken in them without having to buy them. Any shop that has local skirts that includes some with Ancient Egyptian designs is not recommended.

Art and writing samples (东巴; Dōngbā) - The Naxi have the only living hieroglyphic language in the world, and shops with samples of it, or of the unique Naxi style art, are abundant.

Yunnan Coffee - Coffee ground to a fine powder then added to water, although most contain milk and sugar powder already.

Warm Clothing - In the Old Town warm clothing is quite expensive if you are just looking for something cheap to keep the chill out. The road just outside the town by the waterwheel has very cheap hats, mitts, and even long johns. Just turn left at the first intersection.

Small red coconut - DO NOT BUY a small red fruit shaped like a coconut. Actually, it is just a coconut painted red and sold for a very high price. This is a scam.

Naxi hand-made Embroidery, Baisha Village (12km north of Lijiang City), ☎13095230290. You can find many nice Naxi hand-made embroideries in the Baisha Naxi Embroidery Institute. Some of them are arts , very unbelievable, made by the famous Naxi masters.

Eat

There are three primary types of restaurants in Lijiang: Naxi, Tibetan, and Sichuan. Some restaurants offer more than one type of food. Much Western food is also available, but more expensive. Lots of local snack-type foods available from street vendors, including:

Baba - a flat wheatbread available; a savory version sometimes served with chili sauce and a sweeter version that tastes honey-flavored.

Naxi style fried white cheese - A soft white cheese cut into slices then fried in a non-greasy batter. Served with sugar sprinkled on top and very delicious (only seen in restaurants).

Yak's milk yogurt - Has a bit of a different flavor than cow's milk yogurt, but very good. Commonly served with honey, muesli, and/or fruit. Can also be made into fruit shakes.

Fried yak meat - served on skewers.

Budget

If you are in the old town, it's probably better to get out to maintain cheap prices.

Mid-range

Prague Café, (From main square take Easterly road, over a bridge, on the left(?)). The food is good and fairly reasonably priced (given the touristy area it is in) and it has a friendly atmosphere, but the drinks are expensive. Especially green tea at ¥15/cup! Currently closed for renovations.

LMC - Lijiang Millionaire's Club, (From old town square, go down Qi Yi street and take the first left to Bai Sui bridge. Or from old town square, go down Wu Yi street to the Big Stone Bridge, then follow the water downstream, cross a bridge and go to the next bridge, called 100 year old Bridge. The cafe is inside Water Nymph cafe, upstairs.), ☎13769001439. 9am-11pm. Great location, with view of the mountain and below the canal and bridge. Run by two foreigners, who roast their own coffee, make their own fresh cheese and cakes, and use organic produce. Has Italian pizza and pasta, as well as Indian meals. Also good source of travel information, cycle routes, etc. Currently closed pending a move to another location in old town. reasonable. (26° 43',100° 26')

Country Sky, Hongye Street, Shuhe Ancient Village (Just outside of Lijiang), ☎+86 888 5178132. Serves both lunch and dinner and offers both vegetarian and traditional dishes at fair prices.

Lamu, (Just southeast of the water wheels). Serves Tibetan and Yunnan food (check the pages of the menu that aren't in English for this), along with some Western stuff that we didn't try. Nicely prepared and reasonable prices. Try the fried yak cheese balls - not at all greasy; actually quite light and sweet, like ricotta.

N's Kitchen, 2/F, 17 Jishan Alley, Xinyi Street (Find your way to a small square in the old town some people call the grass selling square. The place is easy to miss because it is on the second floor. The entrance is right across SUSAN'S NAXI), ☎+86 888 5120060. Serves western breakfast, tasty sandwiches, monster burgers, and pizzas. Free Internet and WiFi. And they have very nice bikes for hire. You could also get lots of informations of biking and hiking here. the view from the balcony is nice and you can chill out a while.

Adam Restaurant. A unique restaurant inside the old town. There is no menu in this restaurant. Adam, the owner will only cook when the visitors come in. You only need to enjoy the food he cooks and pay the food as your convenient. It is worth trying for the food adventure.

Nordic Delight, (along the river path to the Black Dragon Pool). A bakery and café with very good cheese cake and coffee. Seems closed.￥25 for a slice of Oreo cheesecake.

Splurge

Drink

There are a couple of local drinks worthy of special mention. Lijiang Yinjiu and Sulima (both commonly available in Lijiang) are modern renditions of ancient beer types of the Naxi and Mosuo people and far more enjoyable than the typical bland Chinese lager. Yunnan is famous for tea, as well (though Pu Ehr itself is way down south on the road to Xishuanbanna) and every fourth shop is a tea shop specializing in the length and breadth of Chinese tea, the likes of which you will not find in your average Western Chinatown.

Unlike the rest of China, Lijiang's cafés and restaurants shut down around 11PM. Several of the bars along bar street face each other across the narrow canal. From here singing erupts across the water by opposing teams of (usually) girls. In order to keep the singing going small donations are normally requested from the patrons.

Several western bars are beginning to spring up, notably:

Freshnam Cafe, (68 WangJiaZhang Alley WuYi Street Lijiang, right beside Mama Naxi Guest house (5 minutes walk from si fang jie)), ☎13578383745. 10am to midnight. Western/Korean bar, newly opened in 2010. Easily accessible, just 5 minutes walk from old town center. In the day, it is a quiet cafe, ideal for some hot tea or smoothies. Live music starts from 8.30pm every night, perfectly located away from the tourist crowds. Refreshing cocktails served at reasonable prices, definitely worth a visit. Free wifi available and even a shelf of books for your reading pleasure.

Through the Window Cafe, (Black Dragon Pool,100 meters from the south entrance - 7 minutes walk up-river from the big water wheel in Old Town - beside the western pathway & next to the smaller river.), ☎187-8767-5524 ([email protected]). 10am-10pm or later. In a lovely tranquil location, run by an affable New Zealander. Great coffee, pizzas, pastas, burgers, great all-day "Big English breakfast" plus stir-fry's and deserts. If you are biking, you can also leave your bike there while you visit Black Dragon Pool. If you're into Salsa, or like to learn, call in on Wed or Saturday nights at 8-9 for a free lesson, although any night is a good night for dancing Salsa. so ask the boss to . They also hold a free 'Travel Chinese' class on Tuesday nights (5-6pm) to help travelers learn some useful language to enhance their travel experience. Free WIFI too of course."reasonable"".

LMC - Lijiang Millionaire's Club, Bai Sui Qiao (From old town square, either down Qi Yi Street and first left to Bai Sui Qiao, or go along Wu Yi street to the Big Stone Bridge, and go downstream to next stone bridge, Bai Sui Qiao. LMC is on your left, upstairs in Water Nymph cafe), ☎+86 13769001439. after sunrise til late. LMC is a new cafe/bar in old town, the only one in the old town run by foreigners, and a good meeting place for travelers. Has free wi-fi, live music every night, film nights on Tuesdays, local and imported beers, wines from all over the world, as well as pizza, pasta and Indian meals.reasonable.

New Amsterdam, Yuhe Corridor C-44, 丽江市玉河走廊南片区-C区44号 (200 meters East of the water wheels, behind Buon Appetito), ☎+86 888 5111698 ([email protected]). Open from noon till late. New Amsterdam is a bar/restaurant run by Jack and his wife Xiaoli, where you can watch live football and other sports! They do excellent burgers, shepherd's pie, and sandwiches. All beers are served in ice-cold glasses. Free WiFi and lots of good info on the area.

10 Yuan Bar, No.87,Wenzhi,Wuyi,Dayan,Lijiang,YunNan (Near Mama Naxi), ☎15008790730. All beer at ￥10/bottle，Tequila/Vodka/Gin/Rum￥10/oz，Whisky￥10-15/oz，Cocktails￥20-30/cup. Playing foosball and pocket gal is free. The bar is quite near Mama Naxi.￥10-30.

Stone the Crows, 134-2 Wenzhi Alley, Wuyi St, Lijiang old town (Half way along the shortcut between Wuyi st and Wen Hua Alley), ☎13368881832 ([email protected]). 6pm - late. Down to earth Irish run pub with a fine selection of drinks, pool table and big movie playing TV. Located down a small quiet alley, this is a great place to escape the busy main streets and guarantees absolutely no karaoke. Bar snacks, pizza and Steak and Guinness pies are available for the hungry.

Sleep

Lijiang has plenty of hotels to fit all budgets and desires.

It is sometimes difficult to find specific addresses in Old Town, the best option, especially in low season, is to walk around town and check put prices and rooms to see which suits you best as there are many different options to choose from (in the winter ensure there is a heated mattress pad or heating in the room as the nights are quite chilly).

Budget

There are hundreds of beautiful and clean Chinese hotels not listed below. To find them it's best to ask around, or stand in the train station bus drop-off stop (East of the water-wheels central square) with a big backpack and look lost. Nice ladies will approach you: expect to get a double room for around 40Y-60Y, depending on the season.

Happiness Inn, Lijiang old town, Xin Hua Street Huang Shan Shang Duan (Easy to find. Coming from the waterwheel on Dong Da Jie, go to Sifang square and turn right up the hill at the end of the square. The Inn is on the left about 5 minutes up the hill.), ☎15987932280 (English OK), 0888-8897356 (Chinese only) ([email protected]). Cute, quiet Inn near the top of the hill. Run by very a friendly English-speaking young woman who goes out of her way to help guests with exploring the town and surroundings and often invites guests for communal meals."RMB.

Nguluko Guesthouse, Yuhu Village 雪嵩客栈 玉龙县白沙乡玉湖村 (Located in a picturesque village about 20 minutes by taxi outside of Lijiang, directly at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.), ☎15008792927 ([email protected]), [2]. RMB100 per night, including breakfast and dinner.

Panba International Youth Hostel, Wenming Lane, Wuyi Street, Old-Town District, Lijiang (In the north-eastern part of the old town of Lijiang, right next to the Ruji Elementary School.), ☎0888-5119077 & 0888-8895606; 13187793929 ([email protected]), [3]. A cozy and quiet hostel, now newly renovated with a charming open-air terrace to provide great views of the old town and mountains surrounding it, situated a short stroll away from Sifang Jie, the main market square of Lijiang's old town. The staff are friendly, fun-loving and speak good English. Want to ask for directions to find a good place to eat or get a drink? Don't bother! Just tell them and if they aren't busy, they'll take you there personally for free (only if you want, of course). They are also constantly on the lookout for great, yet little-known places of Lijiang for you so that you can have that extra-special experience, away from the typical touristy stuff (Ask the staff to bring you to their favorite pubs!). Free internet and WIFI, with trips to all the major attractions that Lijiang is known for.Dorms from ¥30, Privates from ¥45 (Discounts for bookings from hostelworld.com & YHA members).

TianYiJiao 天一角, 束河古镇街尾村88号 (In ShuHe village, on SiFangJie main road, take the small road left of Le Petit Paris about 100m, turn right and walk 50m.), ☎13758815544. Newly opened guesthouse, beautifully furnished, with open air courtyard. Free wifi, public kitchen, free washing machine. Areas for chatting, drinking tea and beer. Rooms have ancient Chinese locks. Owner Mr Wen doesn't speak English, but has travelled all over China, and each night happily shares tea with guests.Double rooms from ¥150.

After Sunday Guest House, (In ancient Shuhe Village outside of town, just follow Hongye road past the little pond and you will see it on your left). Quiet and the people who run it are friendly."Double ensuite ¥60 per night in low season.

Be With Me Inn, (In ancient Shuhe Village outside of town, on a side lane off a street with no name that is referred to as ''the bar street'' and meanders along one of the main streams that crisscross the town, it is 5 minute walk from Laosifang Street (the old square)), ☎+86 13708822910 ([email protected]). Another wonderful option is this charming inn. The owner is a young woman who speaks little English, but is extra accommodating and provides a wonderful service.

Garden Inn (May's Garden Inn), 7 Wenming Lane, Wuyi Street, Old Town District, Lijiang, Yunnan (Garden Inn is located on the east side of Lijiang old town, a few minutes walk from the center of the old town (Sifang Square)), ☎+86 888 889 7829 ([email protected]), [4]. checkout: 12:00pm. Beautiful views of the mountains and valleys below. Rooms are comfortable and clean. Great atmosphere and wonderful staff that go out of their way to make sure your experience in Lijiang is a special one. Free Internet. Staff can organize trips: Lijiang to Qiaotou ¥35; Lijiang to Lige island ¥80 one way. Many more trips on request. Airportshuttle if you order in advannce ¥80.Dorms from ¥20, standard rooms from ¥120 and luxury rooms from ¥100..

Shanghai Family No.68 Hostel, No.68 Xingwen Alley, Qiyi Street, ([email protected]), [7]. Contrary to its name, the place is not like a hostel. Judy, who speaks good English, goes above and beyond to make your trip enjoyable. Remarkable hospitality.

Lijiang China Xiyuan Inn, 27 Guanyuan Road, Guangyi Street, Lijiang Old Town (Will be almost impossible to find on your own), ☎+86 13368880039, [9]. Very nice budget place, owned by one young Chinese couples. Rooms around a beautiful courtyard with nice corners to sit around, growing book exchange as well as the best Yunnan tea. The (partly) english speaking staff helps with travel arrangements.

Luminn (留名客栈; Liú​míng​ Kè​zhàn​), Qiyi Street, Xingwen Alley, Lijiang Old Town, ☎+86 888 5128707, +86 13108889313. Guesthouse started by a Chinese young couple who both graduated from English major. There are 10 guestrooms with clean and big bathrooms and big comfortable beds. There is a bar upstairs and a big kitchen and dinning room downstairs. Free washing machine available.¥70.

Mama Naxi's Guesthouse, 78 Wenhua Lane, Wuyi Street (It is best to telephone upon arrival and they will send someone to guide you), ☎+86 888 8881012, 5185930. Excellent friendly guesthouse with two locations in the southeast quarter of the old town. This is an excellent place to share rides with others. Mama not only provides excellent large communal meals but can arrange transport in minivans. Free internet. Fairly clean and fun budget guesthouse that is a favorite for young backpackers.Dorms ¥25, double from ¥60.

Old Cattle Hotel, (From the bus station take the road opposite, turn left up a stone-paved road beside a stone stream, take a left at the top, and you will be in the old town, the hotel will be on the left). Inside a traditional courtyard building. A bit cold in the rooms in winter, but have lots of bed covers.Doubles ensuite ¥50 (2005).

The Yuegulou Inn, (In the golden region of Lijiang Old Downtown), ☎+86 888 5125671, 8885211, +86 13187791705 ([email protected], fax: +86 888 5121181), [11]. A historical cultural hotel in Naxi-style, offers 32 standard rooms at various price points. Free internet is provided in most rooms. They provide free airport pickup or dropoff if you stay two or more days. Other facilities include free washing machine, in room phones, flat screen TVs in some rooms and electric blankets.¥100-360.

Story Inn, ☎+86 15887565098. A nice and very friendly Inn, located in the southern part of the Old City. Very helpful staff, quiet, area, free wifi in the room, simple breakfast (included in the rate) in the courtyard. Laundry available, if you ask nicely. Rooms equipped with TV, kettle and in-built radiotor heater and heating blankets. As you arrive in Qiyi Street, give them a call to pick you up. The place is not easy to find, but worth it!Double and Twin Rooms for around ¥150.

Mid-range

Baisui Inn (百岁桥客栈), 25 Baisui Fang, Xingyi Street, Lijiang Old Town, ☎+86 13688766252 ([email protected]). A 300 years old Naxi traditional house renewed in 2004 with a pebble cobbled courtyard surrounded by three wooden buildings. The owner Mrs Ho is a 55 years old Naxi lady who has been living in the old town since she born. As the old Naxi saying says: one Naxi lady equals to 8 horses,the poor lady works all day long in the Inn. The inn is very peaceful,quiet,and good location.Haba a 25 years old tour guide who speaks very good English and Japanese, he is a nephew of Mrs Ho, assists Mrs Ho in the inn most of the days.

Bruce Chalet (纳西明珠渡假居), Ronghua Road, Shuhe Old Town, Gucheng District, ☎+86 888 5188784 ([email protected]), [12]. Charming guesthouse with a open courtyard and view of the Jade Dragon Mountain. Clean and tidy, each room has a Western toilet, heated mattress, and flat-screen TV; some rooms also have a balcony view of the mountain. There is also free wifi, spring water, and computer access in the common room. Breakfast is available for ¥10 and there is self service laundry for ¥10/load. The owner speaks English, Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese and can help you organize tours, trips, and arrange a car/driver. Located 7-10 minutes walking from Shuhe Old Town, this guesthouse is ideal for travelers looking to escape the touristy parts of town and want to just relax.¥170-450.

Crescent Moon Inn, 54 Xingwen Lane, Qiyi Street, Dayan (5-10 minutes walk to the south of Siyang Square in the old town), ☎+86 888 8885880, [13]. Opened in 2007 the inn is housed in an picturesque old Naxi building which had been completely gutted, and converted into an inn with 15 large rooms each with a ensuite shower and Western toilet. All rooms (which are spread over two floors) face onto a interior courtyard. There is internet connection in every room as well as a shared computer in a reading area beside the lobby.Rates from ¥160.

Lijiang Sina Hotel 新纳大酒店, 中国云南丽江古城七一街崇仁巷96号 (No. 96, ChongRen Alley, QiYi Street, LiJiang Old Town, Lijiang,Yunnan Province, China), ☎+86 13769004122, [14]. Lijiang Sina Hotel is located in the famous "World Cultural Heritage" – inside the old town of Lijiang City. Accessing the hotel by the South Gate, its architectural structure is rich in art and also follows the traditional "Naxi" dwelling and is owned and managed by Emperor Resorts International Pte Ltd, Singapore. For info - Facebook Page - Lijiang Sina Hotel 新纳大酒店 For Enquiry / Reservation email us at [email protected] Website www.sinagarden.com.cn

Moon Inn, Wuyi Road, Dayan (In the old town), ☎+86 888 5180520, 6661073. A delightful, upmarket hotel. Surrounding an open air courtyard the 10 double and twin rooms all have ensuite bathroom and Western toilet. Some have marvellous views over rooftops to the mountains. At night, as the roofs come alive in coloured lights, the effect is spectacular. The Li family run the hotel, and offer a computer with internet connection in the lobby, laundry and meals.Listed rates from ¥400, discounted from ¥200.

New Senlong Hotel, Minzhu Road, Lijiang Old Town, [16]. Four-star traditional Naxi palace-style hotel that is adjacent to Ancient Town. Inside the hotel’s traditional setting, modern facilities and services can be enjoyed. Amenities include 214 deluxe guestrooms, The Mushroom King restaurant, KTV, spa, and roof garden to name a few. Guaranteed online reservation is available.Listed rates from ¥1,080, discounted from ¥360.

Splurge

Pullman Lijiang Resort & Spa, Shuhe Road, Shuhe Old Town. Tel: 0086-0888-5300111. [17]. Possibly the most comfortable place to be in Lijiang is here, with rooms starting at 1,400++ CNY per night and villas starting at 2,400++ CNY per night (as of Sept 2011). The interiors are of contemporary Chinese design, reflecting Naxi architecture and style. Amenties include new 42” LCD TV and sliding doors for washrooms. For cuisine, there is fine international cuisine, with local Chinese food in their restaurant. Jade Dragon Snow Mountain backdrops the resort. Water is free and transportation is well. The hotel is about 7 minutes away from Shuhe Ancient Town.

Banyan Tree, Lijiang, Yuerong Road, Shuhe Old Town. Tel: 0086-0888-5331111. [18]. For those with deep pockets the Banyan Tree Lijiang is possibly one of the world's nicest hotels with rooms at 3,000++ Yuan per night (price of Apr 2008). Placed way out in the middle of farmland, this hotel is quiet, peaceful, and from afar looks like a fortress village. The "rooms" are small villas built in traditional farmhouse architecture, comprising of a bath, study and bedroom with a direct view of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, a private garden, patio, and an outdoor jacuzzi. The food here is mediocre but the prices are comparable to the touristy parts of the old town with meals costing 30-40 yuan. However the water is outrageously expensive with a bottle of Perrier setting you back a staggering 45 yuan, making it more expensive than a glass of wine (38 yuan). A taxi is required to get to and from the hotel (10-15 yuan to the old town). (current Nov 2006) NOTE: This hotel is quite far from the center of Lijiang city.

Guanfang Hotel. Although not located in the old town (it's in the new city), you can get a taxi ride from this hotel to the old town's entrance for a reasonable fee (less than 10 yuan - US$1.50). Guanfang hotel is actually part of a hotel-chain owned by a Yunnanese hotelier group - it has "Guanfang hotels" in other cities in Yunnan province. The Lijiang Guanfang hotel is built to a resort (bungalow) style. The hotel ground area is very big and you have to walk quite a distance from the hotel lobby to your assigned bungalow (containing a number of rooms). But the rooms are pretty spacious and it's beautifully set and are between 4-5 stars.

Crowne Plaza Lijiang Old Town. Located at the edge of the old town, minutes walk away from a bustling food street, the Crowne Plaza Lijiang is built in an architectural style similaar to the old town itself. The hotel grounds are beautiful and the rooms are spacious andd comfortable. A breakfast buffet (7:00-10:00am), catering to both Western and Chinese palettes, is included and is a definite hightlight. The hotel also boasts a high-end Sichuan restaurant with well-prepared, albeit expensive fare.

Stay safe

The smaller streets in the old town are reported not to be safe at night.

Get out

Qiaotou for Tiger Leaping Gorge - regular bus services are available from the main bus station. You can also take any Shangrila bound bus and have the driver drop you off at Qiaotou. Costs about 25RMB. If you take a Shangrila bus, make sure to ask for the ticket to Qiaotou only, otherwise they will charge you the full fare to Shangrila.

Shuhe old town, better than Lijiang if you want a place less commercialized; a horse ride in the town is an attraction. Easy bus and mini bus service to the town from Lijiang: bus 5 from old town 1y/~30min (arrive south/oldest part/most homestay, north/old town Lijiang like and hotel/restaurants; homestays price ~100y for s/d but can bargain), maybe bus 11 from bus station; horse ride ~100-200y; monastery & lake to see around but a bit far for just a walk.

Shangrila, it is RMB 60 from Lijiang to Shangrila by express bus. about 4h trip, bus every hour.

Dali, direct bus to Xiaguan, Dali new town. You need to take another bus to Dali ancient city. There is also direct bus from Lijiang to Dali ancient city, ask the hotel or tour agent to book the ticket. All of the Lijiang buses pass the Dali old town on the way to Xiaguan. Just tell the driver to drop you off in Dali.

Shaxi ancient town, between Dali and Lijiang. There is no transport direct to Shaxi, you need to arrive at Jiangchuan first. But it will be easier from Dali(Xiaguan). An express bus operate from Dali(Xiaguan) to Jiangchuan, and Lijiang to Jiangchuan, you need to know the schedule. A mini bus will also take you from Lijiang to a border of Jiangchuan and Lijiang, where you need to take a minibus to Jiangchuan city, and continue with another minivan to Shaxi old town. If you missed the express bus, the mini bus will be an alternative, it is faster. Unexploited ancient town unlike Lijiang, less travel by tourists, but is now attracting backpackers.

Lagu Lake, north of Lijiang near Shechuan border. Direct bus from Lijiang, the road is very rough and currently under construction. It will take more than 7 hours of rough ride for a normally 4 hours travel. An airport is presently under construction. Avoid it until May 2010 if you are not able to travel under rough condition.

Kunming, the province capital. There is train and bus service direct to Kunming from Lijiang.

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